HOLDEN - Invincible or Inevitable?

Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holdens.
Could we have done more or was the writing on the wall?
I've grown up in Holdens. (though i don't own one now)
It's a sad day today and i feel for all the employees and workers who will endure the repercussions of this directly.

the end of australia

if you don't understand why

you're not australian

On the apathy note yes its bad. On the other hand my business is struggling where is my handout. So bugger'em. I bet upper management and the ceo's ect never took a pay cut to assist..

What really ****s me is the fact I can order an Aussie made part cheaper oversea's including freight, and it arrives at my doorstep.
We are so backwards in trying to go forwards.


edit: The Japanese and Euro's did nothing we did it to our-self's out of just plain and simple greed.

In the end Holden is an American company. The bosses have a strategy of closing down manufacturing operations in high cost, developed countries. They have closed down car factories across Europe. They have closed down car factories across America and Canada. Australia is in a similar boat so we have a similar outcome. General Motors is moving manufacturing to less costly locations such as China, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and countries in Africa. It makes sense for them to do this as they can import cars to Australia from these countries with very minimal costs.

Will Holden continue to drape its marketing campaigns with kangaroos and the Aussie flag over the latest car fresh from the factory in China? Will Holden hand the cash back that was given to them to keep manufacturing cars here? I think Mitsubishi collected a lot of cash from the government and then packed up a short time later.

what will be the cops cars then ? camry hybrids ? they are only locals left.

Yesterday was a very sad day for me personally, seeing maybe what could be the fatal blow struck to an industry that I have worked in and loved for 25 years and knowing that many, many people who I have known and worked with for lots of years will be soon out of work and wondering how they will provide for their families. There is lots of emotional, divisive rhetoric and opinions about what could/ should have been done and I obviously have a strong view. I am not going to add to this emotional rhetoric but I do want to explain a few things about the Global Auto Industry and the role of government and hopefully correct some mis- information.

ALL countries that have vehicle manufacturing subsidise the industry with either tariffs, co- investment or other means. Out of the 13 countries that build cars Australia was the least subsidised. It is also one of the most open and competitive markets due to low levels of protection and our high currency attracting lots of imports. You simply cannot attract the multinationals to build cars in your country without some form of co-investment or protection, why, because it is not a level playing field and other countries are dangling big carrots to attract that investment, that is the way of the business world.

The Australian Government was divided on their position to ongoing support, they had the facts, the timelines yet the rhetoric was mixed and at times very negative and even aggressive. There were many factors in GMs decision to pull the pin but you would be naive to think that the government behaviour was not a factor.

The flow on effects of having large scale manufacturing like automotive are large. It employs lots of people, it invests in R&D, it creates a chain of first, second and third tier suppliers who in turn employ lots of people. It attracts foreign investment. It trains and develops skills, supports educational institutions in fields such as engineering and design. I could go on and on. If you don't believe me then go and read the US treasuries report into the 2008/2009 bailout of GM and Chrysler. It ultimately cost the US taxpayer 10.5 billion and saved them 103 billion in lost taxation, unemployment benefits and food stamps and saved a minimum of 1.5 million jobs.

I hear lots of "Holdens are crap" and "nobody wants them" . Some facts... Commodore and Cruze are both top 5 sellers in a market of over 250 different models. People are buying them, yes not in the numbers they were 20 years ago but nobody is or ever will again, the market has changed dramatically.
VF Commodore has just won multiple awards from the Media and Automotive bodies around the country. They do not give these awards to "crap", it is a genuinely world class product. Holden workers should stand proud.

I hope the sector can survive as the ramifications to manufacturing in this country are huge. If we lose this industry we will regret it long term. In ten years time if I hear a "free tradeist" liberal politician bitching about the fact that we no longer make anything in this country you know what my reaction will be... How does F..Off sound!!!!

Bugger , I did say I would not get emotional.

Industrialised Country? but what are we when we dont have industry?
Advanced economy? but what if it is 'too expensive' to do business?

Seems to me that we too easily lose track of the big picture. We are seeing it over and again, our mining, our industry, our environmental stances. Back to basics everyone, please think about sustainability for us and our future generations. The quick buck, the immediately useful foreign 'investment', the simple disposal of our waste, they may be the simple option for you, but what about the future. To rehash an old advertising slogan; 'Do The Right Thing'.

the govt subsidy just had to continue until the $AUD came down to allow them to compete more with other countries.

The Australian Govt (Abbott and Hockey) basically had the chance to subsidise the industry until the currency was better off. GM called the bluff and screwed over the australian industry.

GM in Australia failed to change with the market and times